This MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop shipped with a 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo (Santa Rosa) processor and 2 GB RAM. It contained a 160 GB hard drive and 8X SuperDrive. The display was an LED-backlit 15.4-inch widescreen at 1440×900 resolution that was available in a matte or glossy finish. This example has a glossy display.
The keyboard design used a numeric keypad accessed using the fn (function) key, a feature removed from later models. This MacBook Pro had similar features to previous Core 2 Duo systems, including an ambient light sensor that adjusted keyboard illumination and screen brightness, a scrolling TrackPad, and a MagSafe power connector. It used a built-in iSight video camera at 1.3 megapixels.
Wireless connectivity on this 15-inch MacBook Pro included AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Bluetooth 2.0. Ports included an ExpressCard/34 slot, Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 400 and 800 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, optical digital audio in/out (in a single 3.5mm port), and DVI out.
This MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop was released in early 2008 with an identical case design as its predecessor. It shipped with a 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo (Penryn) processor and 2 GB of 667 MHz SDRAM. It contained a 200 GB hard drive and 8X DVD RW/CD-RW SuperDrive. The display was an LED-backlit 15.4-inch widescreen at 1440×900 resolution.
Although the external case did not change from the “Santa Rosa” processor version of the laptop that preceded it, the keyboard design removed the numeric keypad accessed using the fn (function) key and replaced the right-side enter key with an additional option key, the same laptop keyboard layout still in use now (as of February 2020). This MacBook Pro also used the same trackpad design as the MacBook Air of the time, adding multi-touch gestures.
Ports on this MacBook Pro included an ExpressCard slot, Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 400, Firewire 800, two USB 2.0 ports, optical digital audio in/out, and DVI out. Wireless connections included AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1. It also included an iSight video camera and MagSafe power connector, both standard at the time.
When I acquired this laptop, its battery had burst while installed in the laptop. The battery failure caused the battery to bow in the center and it was lodged in the case. Using a few iFixIt spatula tools, I was able to extract it safely and then properly dispose of the ruptured battery.
The iMac G4/700 (Flat Panel) featured a 700 MHz PowerPC 7441 (G4) processor, 128 MB or 256 MB of RAM (PC133 SDRAM), a 40.0 GB Ultra ATA/66 hard drive (5400 RPM), either a tray-loading CD-RW drive or DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo Drive, and a 15-inch TFT Active Matrix LCD display.
The internal components of this iMac are contained in a 10.6-inch half-sphere. Protruding from the top of the half sphere was a chrome stainless steel neck supporting the display. This design is sometimes referred to as the “sunflower iMac.” In addition to the polished stainless steel, the case and display are “ice white.” This iMac also included a matching ice white Apple Pro Keyboard and Mouse. The more expensive Combo Drive configuration of this iMac shipped with two clear spherical external Apple Pro Speakers.
This iMac shipped with MacOS X 10.1 and MacOS 9.2 installed with MacOS X selected as the default OS.
The original iMac was introduced on May 6, 1998, and shipped August 15, 1998. It featured a 233 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 32 MB of RAM, a 4.0 GB EIDE hard drive, and a tray loading CD-ROM drive. Its screen was a 15-inch CRT display.
The original iMac was available in one color called “Bondi blue,” named for the blue-green color of the water at Bondi Beach near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. “Bondi” is an [Australian] Aboriginal word meaning “water breaking over rocks.”
This was the first consumer computer product released after Steve Jobs returned to Apple as interim CEO. The iMac was primarily credited with returning Apple to profitability and re-establishing Apple’s commitment to simplicity and design, but at the time was criticized for dropping the floppy disk drive and adopting the emerging USB standard.
The “i” in “iMac” has been described by Apple to represent “Internet,” but Steve Jobs also specified the “i” to mean internet, individual, instruct, inform, and inspire in a presentation in 1998.
Although the original iMac was not meant to be user-upgradable, it did contain what was referred to at the time as a “mysterious” slot behind the hinged side door called the “Mezzanine” slot. Inside the iMac was a Mezzanine connector soldered on to the motherboard. Officially, Apple never explained its purpose, but a few developers created expansion products that used the slot and/or port. I installed one such port in a few iMac computers in 1999, namely the Griffin iPort that added an Apple serial port and video-out port. Although the Griffin iPort didn’t use the Mezzanine internal connector, it did use the Mezzanine slot to make the ports available.
The Revision A iMac (M6709LL/A) and Revision B iMac (M6709LL/B) are identical with the exception of graphics systems. Revision A (August 15, 1998) had an ATI Rage IIc graphics with 2 MB of VRAM, and Revision B (October 26, 1998) had an ATI Rage Pro Turbo graphics with 6 MB of VRAM.
The iMac G3/500 DV Special Edition (Summer 2000) featured a 500 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 128 MB of RAM, a 30.0 GB Ultra ATA hard drive, a slot loading 4X DVD-ROM drive, a Harmon-Kardon designed sound system, and two FireWire 400 ports. The screen was a 15-inch CRT display.
The iMac G3/500 DV Special Edition (Summer 2000) is similar to the iMac G3/450 DV+ (Summer 2000) released at the same time, but was offered in graphite and snow rather than indigo, ruby, and sage. It was referred to as a “Special Edition” model because it had a faster processor, twice the RAM, and a larger hard drive (30.0 GB instead of 20.0 GB).
This iMac model also replaced the Apple USB Keyboard and round Apple USB Mouse with the Apple Pro Keyboard and Mouse.
The iMac G3/333 featured a 333 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 32 MB of RAM, and a 6.0 GB EIDE hard drive. The screen was a 15-inch CRT display.
This iMac was offered in five different colors: lime (lime green), strawberry (pinkish-red), blueberry (bright blue), grape (purple), and tangerine (orange-yellow). The previous version of this iMac was offered in the exact same colors.
Apart from the faster 333 MHz processor, this iMac was identical to the iMac G3/266 before it.
The iMac G3/266 featured a 266 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 32 MB of RAM, and a 6.0 GB EIDE hard drive. Its screen was a 15-inch CRT display.
This iMac was offered in five different colors: lime (lime green), strawberry (pinkish-red), blueberry (bright blue), grape (purple), and tangerine (orange-yellow). Previously, the iMac was available only in Bondi blue (blue green).
This iMac is grape.
The iMac G3/266 models had similar specifications to the Revision B iMac line before, but shipped with a larger 6.0 GB hard drive and lacked the “Mezzanine” internal expansion slot and IrDA.
The iMac G3/600 (Summer 2001) featured a 600 MHz PowerPC 750cx (G3) processor, 256 MB of RAM, a 40.0 GB Ultra ATA hard drive, a slot loading 8X/4X/24X CD-RW drive, a Harmon-Kardon designed sound system, and two FireWire 400 ports. This model was available in graphite or snow. Its screen was a 15-inch CRT display.
This iMac model represented a major default operating system switch for Apple. As of January 7, 2002, this iMac shipped with MacOS X 10.2 as the default operating system along with MacOS 9 pre-installed.
The color of this iMac is “snow.” At the time, other iMac colors were transparent, but Apple’s version of “snow” is opaque white.
The iMac G3/350 (Summer 2000, indigo) featured a 350 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 64 MB of RAM, a 7.0 GB Ultra ATA hard drive, a slot loading 24X CD-ROM drive, and a Harmon-Kardon designed sound system. The all-in-one case design was transparent indigo blue with a 15-inch CRT display.
This model does not support FireWire (400) or AirPort (802.11b), even though its predecessor added support for both technologies. However, this model included a slightly larger hard drive (7.0 GB compared to 6.0 GB), a slightly better video processor, and replaced the Apple USB Keyboard and round Apple USB Mouse with the Apple Pro Keyboard and Mouse. This model sold for $200 less than the previous model at $799.
Due to the price drop, this model was purchased for many schools to update the computer labs common at the time. In my Technology Director position at the time, we upgraded at least three computer labs from tray-loading iMac to slot-loading iMac computers due to the price drop.
